The treatment of soft tissue neck and shoulder pain often includes the use of anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn). Pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) may also be recommended. Depending on the source of pain, drugs like muscle relaxers and even antidepressants might be helpful. Pain also may be treated with a local application of moist heat or ice. Local corticosteroid injections are often helpful for arthritis of the shoulder. For both neck and shoulder pain movement, exercises may help. For cases in which nerve roots or the spinal cord are involved, surgical procedures may be necessary. Your doctor can tell you which is the best course of treatment for you.
Some chiropractors believe that chiropractic care is the only treatment needed for any health problem. Others are committed to working with your pain management specialist as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. When looking for a chiropractor close by, it is important to decide which type of chiropractor is right for you and your pain condition. As we’ll discuss below, chiropractors will share on their website what they’re most focused on treating or what they have the most research experience with. They may also discuss their philosophies about care so you can find one that matches how you approach treating your pain.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
After selling his very successful practice in Boise, Idaho, Dr. Tim Dudley moved to Whitefish in 2015 to pursue his professional goals of starting a consulting business to teach other Chiropractors how to be effective and successful. He also wanted to practice what he was preaching and set out to create his dream practice from the ground up. While Whitefish has many chiropractors, there was room for Dr. Dudley’s unique and highly specialized skill set here, and it also put he and his wife much closer to where they were both raised, and to their families. Once Dr. Dudley found his ideal office space in downtown Whitefish, he opened his doors and has been helping and healing one spine at a time.

A D.C. program includes classwork in anatomy, physiology, biology, and similar subjects. Chiropractic students also get supervised clinical experience in which they train in spinal assessment, adjustment techniques, and making diagnoses. D.C. programs also may include classwork in business management and in billing and finance. Most D.C. programs offer a dual-degree option, in which students may earn either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in another field while completing their D.C.

The treatment of neck pain depends on its precise cause. Treatment options include rest, heat or cold applications, traction, soft-collar traction, physical therapy (ultrasound, massage, manipulation), local injections of cortisone or anesthetics, topical anesthetic creams, topical pain-relief patches, muscle relaxants, analgesics, and surgical procedures. Home remedies for treatment, such as Jacuzzi treatment, neck pain relief exercises and stretches, and neck pain relief products such as neck pillows for sleep and hot pads can be very beneficial for relief of some forms of neck pain. There are many treatment options, depending on the particular neck problem and past treatment experiences. Alternative treatments that have been used for relief of chronic neck pain include acupuncture.

Requirements vary between countries. In the U.S. chiropractors obtain a first professional degree in the field of chiropractic.[164] Chiropractic education in the U.S. have been criticized for failing to meet generally accepted standards of evidence-based medicine.[165] The curriculum content of North American chiropractic and medical colleges with regard to basic and clinical sciences has been more similar than not, both in the kinds of subjects offered and in the time assigned to each subject.[166] Accredited chiropractic programs in the U.S. require that applicants have 90 semester hours of undergraduate education with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Many programs require at least three years of undergraduate education, and more are requiring a bachelor's degree.[167] Canada requires a minimum three years of undergraduate education for applicants, and at least 4200 instructional hours (or the equivalent) of full‐time chiropractic education for matriculation through an accredited chiropractic program.[168] Graduates of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) are formally recognized to have at least 7–8 years of university level education.[169][170] The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines suggest three major full-time educational paths culminating in either a DC, DCM, BSc, or MSc degree. Besides the full-time paths, they also suggest a conversion program for people with other health care education and limited training programs for regions where no legislation governs chiropractic.[46]

Age, injury, poor posture or diseases such as arthritis can lead to degeneration of the bones or joints of the cervical spine, causing disc herniation or bone spurs to form. Sudden severe injury to the neck may also contribute to disc herniation, whiplash, blood vessel destruction, vertebral injury and, in extreme cases, permanent paralysis. Herniated discs or bone spurs may cause a narrowing of the spinal canal or the small openings through which spinal nerve roots exit. Pressure on a nerve root by a herniated disc or a bone spur may result in:

Most chiropractic medicine programs require that applicants have at least three years of undergraduate education, and an increasing number require a bachelor’s degree. In either case, your undergraduate studies must include a prescribed number of prerequisite courses, as defined by the field’s accrediting body, the Council on Chiropractic Education.

One of the most common causes of neck pain is a pillow that is too large or too flat. Make sure that the pillow you use adequately supports your neck without causing any excessive bending. In other words, if lying on your back, your neck should not be bent unduly upwards. lf lying on your side, your neck should not be bent up or down (i.e. your spine should be in a straight line). Sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent to the side can also result in neck pain.
In most circumstances, a medical history and physical examination are the key parts of an evaluation required to diagnose neck pain/disorders. In some cases, individuals who do not respond to starting therapy may undergo specialized radiographic tests, such as plain X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computerized tomography to screen for additional problems of soft tissues, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, tumors, or nerve injuries.
AAOS does not endorse any treatments, procedures, products, or physicians referenced herein. This information is provided as an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Anyone seeking specific orthopaedic advice or assistance should consult his or her orthopaedic surgeon, or locate one in your area through the AAOS Find an Orthopaedist program on this website.
Symptoms caused by spinal cord trouble are called “myelopathy.” And there are a lot of possible symptoms: it depends on which part of the spinal cord is affected. And many of them can have other causes. And it may worsen slowly and erratically over long periods. You can’t really confirm a myelopathy diagnosis without professional help, so please consult a doctor if you’re suspicious. BACK TO TEXT
The neck supports the full weight of the head and is very susceptible to muscle strain and the misalignment of, or damage to, the vertebra in the spinal column. Almost everyone experiences neck pain at some time. These pains can be simple, which disappear after a few days, or they can be chronic. Chronic neck pain is defined as pain that persists for 3 months or more.
If your chiropractor does recommend an X-ray, one piece of advice: wear proper clothing! I made the mistake of wearing jeans to the appointment. And that meant had to change into some not-so-attractive disposable medical shorts… NOT a good look. I would recommend wearing loose-fitting clothing you can move in (that helps for the movement assessment too!) and nix the jewelry. I was smarter for my second appointment and wore my workout gear, so the medical shorts didn’t have to make a second appearance.